Tassel



Sept. 12, 1939. |=l RONC; 2,172,989

TASSEL 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo.

20 lNvENToR Frnando Ronci y mmavwu ATTORN EY F. RONCI Sept. 12, 1939.`

TAS SEL 2 SHeets-Sheet 2 Fled Dec. 18, 1957 .UL lo# mR. V mw ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in tassels for use with shoe laces and like cord articles.

An object of my invention is to provide an irnproved simpliied structure employing a knot tied in the end of said shoe lace to function in association with other means to provide a tassel.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel type of tuft member blank cut from leather or other flexible material, which may be readily shaped into a tassel.

A further object of my invention is to provide a single member preferably constructed of stamped metal which may be readily drawn from a flat blank having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article which, after the flexible member is strung on said cord article over said knot, may be readily slid over said knot to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions within to make up a tassel.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a fastening member or means as described in the previous paragraph with resiliently circumferentially expansible and contractible female separable fastener means on the lower end thereof to resiliently circumferentially expand while sliding over the knot during assembly and resiliently contract below said knot after passage thereover to bind the tuft member strand portions over said'knot to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft portions within said fastening member to make up a tassel.

A further object of my invention due to the novel structure of the fastening member or means I employ is to provide a device which may be 35 readily assembled by the shoe manufacturer by hand or otherwise thereby permitting the shoe manufacturer to cut his own leather flexible member and assemble the tassel by hand in his own factory.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a tassel constructed of relatively cheap one piece units the fastening members or means of which may be economically manufactured in quantity and sold as a unit prior to assembly.

an integral fastening means or member which may be manufactured by the metal stamper and sold for assembly purposes to the shoe or cord manufacturer for the insertion of the shoe `lace or other cord article and leather tassel forming member therein.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device capable of holding any `differently 55 cut or shaped tassel member therein, formed A further objectV of my invention is to provideY either of straight strandsor of curved strands to form a tulip or other fancy shaped tassel.

This and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the embodiments shown in 5 the accompanying drawings.

Y.In the drawings,

Fig. l is a plan view of my improved type of tuft member blank which may be readily out from leather or other flexible material. 10

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a metal fastening member constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the member shown in Fig. 2. 15

Fig. 4 is a reverse plan View of the fastening member shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a disassembled side elevation with my improved tuft member and fastening member strung on the end of a cord article in which a knot is tied.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 after the fastening member of my invention has been pushed downwardly, preferably by hand, to cause the tuft member to surround the knot and showing the improved spring fingers of my fastening member expanding during passage over said knot.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of my improved tassel in completely assembled position after the lower ends of the spring ngers have passed underneath said knot and completely bent the tassel forming strands of the tassel member in downwardly projecting tassel forming formation.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the complete tassel shown in Fig. 7. 35

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 8 of a modification of my invention in which the lower tips of the spring fingers flare outwardly to assist the passage of the spring lingers around the knot during assembly as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of an alternative type of tuft member blank which may be readily cut from leather or other flexible material.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of an alternative type of metal fastening means constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the means shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a reverse plan View of the fastening means shown in Fig. ll.

Fig. 14 is a disassembled side elevation with the alternative type of my improved tuft member shown in Fig. 10 and alternative type of fastening means shown in Figs. 11 to 13 strung on the end of a cord article in which a knot is tied, the 55 fastening means being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 after the improved type of fastening means shown therein has been pushed downwardly preferably by hand to cause the tuft member to surround the knot showing the improved spring ring of the type of fastening means shown in Figs. 11 to 13 in expanded position during passage over said knot, also showing the tuft member in section.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 of the alternative type of tassel forming member and fastening means shown therein in completely assembled position to form an alternative embodiment of my improved tassel after the circumferentially expansible spring ring has passed underneath said knot and completely bent the tassel forming strands of the tassel member in downwardly projecting tassel forming formation.

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the assembled embodiment shown in Fig. 16.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference generally indicate like parts throughout, l!! generally indicates a tassel constructed in accordance with my invention. Said tassel includes a tuft member I2 constructed of flexible material such as leather having a center portion lll having a hole i6 therein for Stringing on said cord article i8, and integral individual tuft forming strand portions 2U projecting radially outwardly from said center portion I4. 1f desired, the strand portions 2B may be spaced circumferentially but I have discovered that considerable economy in the amount of leather or other material required can be effected if the tuft member is cut in substantially the form shown, namely, with the center portion I4 thereof having the slitted portions 22 projecting radially outwardly therefrom preferably at diametrically opposite sides thereof, slitted as at 2f and of sufficient circumferential length to provide between said slits 24 a plurality of individual adjacent tuft forming strand portions 20 integral with said center portion. The tuft member blank may be readily cut from leather or other flexible material by the shoe manufacturer on order just prior to assembly, if desired.

In addition to providing a novel type of tuft member as described, I provide a single unitary fastening member 26 having a central hole 23 therein for Stringing on said cord article and shape to bend the radial tuft forming strands 2E! downwardly in tuft formation over a knot 30 tied in the cord article i8 preferably near the end thereof and grip and retain said cord knot 39 and surrounding tuft member portions I4 and 2B within to make up the tassel.

In my preferred embodiment the fastening member 26 is constructed of cage like shape and may be provided with a neck portion 32 having a hole 28 therein for Stringing on said cord article, an integral substantially frustro-hemispherical portion 34 below said neck portion for containing the center portion lll of said tuft member, and spring fingers 36 preferably spaced as shown at 38 projecting downwardly from said frustreliemisp'nerical portion 34 in general tubular formation to bend said radial tuft forming strands 20 downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said fastening member, said spring fingers 35 preferably having the lower resilient ends 40 thereof bent radially inwardly and preferably so that the edges thereof abut when in an assembled position as shown in Figs. 4 and '7 grip and retain said cord knot 30 and surrounding tuft member portions within said member 26.

As stated, the fastening member 2S may be readily drawn from a fiat blank of metal and may be cheaply manufactured in quantity and sold as a disassembled unit to the shoe manufacturer. The shoe manufacturer may then cut his own tuft member l2 in the shape shown or otherwise and may readily assemble the tassel on the cord article in the manner shown in Figs. -7.

The cord article I8 is first threaded through the hole 28 in the fastening member 26 and the central hole I6 in the tuft member l2 and a knot 3i! is then tied in the cord article I8 as shown in Fig. 5. The fastening member 2B is then pushed downwardly preferably by hand on the cord article I8 causing the tuft forming strand portions 20 to separate and to bend downwardly in tuft formation as shown in Fig. 6. As the spring fingers 35 pass the knot 3B, as shown in Fig. 6 it is obvious that they are radialy flexed outwardly over the knot 3E] and when they have passed the knot as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the lower resilient ends thereof bent inwardly as at G5 will lie underneath said knot 30, the member 2t thus gripping and retaining said cord knot Zl and surrounding tuft member portions within said fastening member.

If desired the tassel may be readily disassembled by pushing up on the fastening member, the fingers 35 again spreading while they pass the knot 39, the knot 35 may be then untied, the tassel disassembled and the fastening member 26 used over again any desired number of times.

While the device as shown in Figs. 7-8 functions on most types of leather, if fine leather such as suede leather be employed having a frangible surface, in order that the radially bent lower ends it may not tear said surface, the tips thereof may terminate outwardly as at 42 as shown in Fig. 9 to slide over said knot 30 during assembly without tearing the leather surface.

I have shown in Figs. 11-1'7 an alternative embodiment ll of a tassel constructed in accordance with my invention employing an alternative type of tuft member l2 and an alternative type of fastening means 26.

In place of employing a tassel member I2 having the straight individually slitted tuft forming strand portions 20 projecting radially outwardly from said center portion M, it is obvious that said strand forming portions 2B may be formed of any desired shape, such as the curved tulip forming shape shown in Fig. employing the three strands 20' with curved sides, although it is apparent that any desired number of strands of any desired curved or straight configuration may be employed projecting radially outwardly from the center portion I4.

In place of the single unitary fastening member 26 shown in Figs. 2-9, alternative types of fastening means may be employed having a hole 2S therein for stringing on said cord article and resilient means 36 on the lower end thereof to grip and retain the cord knot 3G and surrounding tuft member strand portions 20 and center portion M within to make up the tassel. Said fastening means 2B may be provided with a neck portion 32 having a hole 28 therein for Stringing on said cord article (although if desired the neck portion 32' may be omitted), an integral downwardly and outwardly fiaring portion 34 below said neck portion for containing the center portion of said tuft member and a substantially cylindrical portion 44 projecting downwardly therefrom to bend said radial tuft forming strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said fastening member 2t. Thus the fastening member is of generally cylindrical or tubular shape with the'central hole 28 therein, being enlarged in the lower end thereof into the enlarged lower bore portion 68 for retaining the knot 3G and center portion I4 of the tassel therein and provided with an annular internal groove 56 therein at the lower end there of providing below it and formed of its lower wall the cup 46 for containing the split ring 36 therein. It is obvious that the split ring 3G may resiliently circumferentially expand and contract within the groove expanding from the position shown in Fig. 14, to that shown in Fig. l5 to permit the passage of the knot 3S and center tassel forming portion I4 within the enlarged bore i8 and again contracting when said knot and center portion are inserted within the bore 48 circumferentially and radially inwardly of the annular cup il@ to a position to underlie said knot 3J and center tuft member portion M as shown in Fig. 1.6 to positively retain the knot 3b' and center portion Ill' within said enlarged bore 43 of said fastening member 26.

It is apparent that in either embodiment of my invention shown, I have employed circumferentially resiliently expansible and contractible female sep-arable fastener means 36 whether such means comprises the spring fingers 36, as shown invFigs. 2-9, or the split ring 36 expansible and contractible within the groove 5@ retained in i position by the lower edge thereof forming the cup d5 from falling out when in disassembled position.

It is also apparent that the fastening means 26 may be readily drawn or stamped in quantity and that the split ring 36 may be readily inserted within during or after the manufacturing operation.

While the tuft member l2 is preferably constructed of leather, it may be constructed of any other suitable flexible material, such as treated or untreated textile material, etc.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 11-17 is assembled in similar fashion to and as fully hitherto described, for the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1-9.

It is apparent that I have provided a novel type of tassel comprising novel types of component parts in which the fastening member comprises a single unitary member and in which the parts thereof may be readily assembled by shoe manufacturers if desired with the other advantages explained above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the speciiic embodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is:

l. A tassel for use with shoeslaces and like cord articles comprising, in combination, a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and integral individual tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a knot in said cord article and a cage like fastening member having a neck portion having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical portion below said neck portion for containing the center portion of said tuft member and spaced spring fingers projecting downwardly therefrom to bend said radial tuft forming strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said fastening member having the lower resilient ends thereof bent radially inwardly to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions within said fastening member.

2. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles comprising, in combination, a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and integral individual tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a knot in said cord article and means having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, having means projecting downwardly therefrom to bend said radial tuft forming strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said fastening member having spaced lower resilient ends bent radially inwardly to form an opening in the lower end thereof of less diameter than that of said knot to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions Within.

3. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles comprising, in combination, a tuft member of flexible material having a center porn tion having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and integral individual tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a knot in said cord article and means having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article to bend said tuft formingv strands downwardly in tuft formation around said knot to grip and retain said cord knot, said means having means projecting inwardly therefrom forming an opening in the lower end thereof of less diameter than that of said knot surrounding tuft member portions within.

4. A cage like fastening member for use in forming tassels on shoe laces and like 'cord articles having knots at the ends thereof, said member having a neck portion having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, an integral substantially frustro heini-spherical portion below said neck portion and spaced spring fingers projecting downwardly therefrom having the lower resilient ends thereof bent radially inwardly to form an opening in the lower end thereof of less diameter than said cord knot to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions within.

5. Means for use in forming tassels on shoe laces and like cord articles having knots at the ends thereof, said means having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, and spaced means projecting downwardly therefrom having the lower resilient ends thereof bent radially finwardly to form an opening in the lower end thereof of less diameter than said 'cord knot to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions Within.

6. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles comprising, in combination, a tuft member of exible material having a center portion having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and integral individual tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a knot in said cord article and means having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, said means having means projecting downwardly therefrom to bend said radial tuft forming strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said fastening member, said last mentioned means having resilient means in the lower end thereof to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions within.

'7. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord I articles comprising, in combination, a tuft mem- ',ber of exible material having a center portion having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and integral individual tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a knot in said cord article and i3 means having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, said means having means projecting downwardly therefrom to bend said radial tut forming strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end n@ of said fastening member, said last mentioned means having circumferentially expansible and contractible female separable fastener means on the lower end thereof to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions 8. Means for use in forming tassels on shoe laces and like cord articles having knots at the {ends thereof, said means having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article, and means pro- 3U jecting downwardly therefrom having circum- 'lferentially expansible and contractible resilient female separable fastener means on the lower end thereof projecting inwardly from the lower end thereof to underlie and to grip and retain 35 la cord knot and surrounding tassel member por- .tions within.

1 9. Means for use in forming tassels on shoe glaces and like cord articles having knots at the ends thereof, said means having a hole therein o for Stringing on said cord article, and means projecting downwardly therefrom having circumferentially expansible and contractible resilient means projecting inwardly from the lower end thereof to underlie and to grip and retain a cord knot and surrounding tassel member portions within.

10. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles comprising, in combination, a tuft member of exible material having a center portion having a hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and integral individual tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a knot in said cord artilcle and means comprising an upper portion for 'containing the center portion of said tuft member having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and a substantially cylindrical portion projecting downwardly therefrom to bend said radial tuft forming strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper'end of said fastening member, said last mentioned means having an annular internal cup forming groove on the inner surface thereof adjacent the lower end thereof and a circumferentially eX- pansible and contractible split ring contained Within said groove to grip and retain said cord knot and surrounding tuft member portions within said fastening member.

11. Means for use in forming tassels on shoe laces and like cord articles, comprising an upper portion having a central hole therein for Stringing on said cord article and a substantially cylindrical portion projecting downwardly therefrom having an annular internal cup forming groove on the inner surface thereof adjacent the lower end thereof and a circumferentially expansible and contractible split ring contained within said groove.

FERNANDO RONCI. 

